The NOC said a crisis following military strongman Khalifa Haftar's recapture of ports in Libya's oil crescent last month has slashed production, previously estimated at one million barrels a day, by 850,000 bpd.

Eastern factions have tried to take over oil exports in the past but have struggled to find buyers because Western nations insist they will deal only with the internationally recognised National Oil Corporation (NOC) based in the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

In fact, segment leaders like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Hero MotoCorp have reported de-growth of 34.3 per cent, 45 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively giving a clear indication of a prolonged slowdown in the sector.